Multiple pole trolling device



Oct. 30, 1962 J. E. PRINCE 3,060,614

MULTIPLE POLE TROLLING DEVICE Filed May 19, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ill] INV EN TOR.

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HTTORNEY Oct. 30, 1962 J. E. PRINCE 3,060,614

MULTIPLE POLE TROLLING DEVICE Filed May 19, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

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flTTORN Y United States Patent Office 3,060,614 Patented Oct. 30, 1962 3,060,614 MULTIPLE POLE TROLLING DEVICE Joseph E. Prince, Yelrn, Wash. Filed May 19, 1961, Ser. No. 111,215 11 Claims. (Cl. 436.5)

My invention relates to multiple pole trolling devices for use on boats and an object of my invention is to provide a trolling device which will efficiently handle a large number of trolling lines in fishing from a boat for fish which feed near the surface of the water.

Another object is to provide a rotatively driven trolling device for use on a boat which is capable of handling a plurality of trolling lines in such a manner as to cause lures on said lines to follow a predetermined cycle of movement in which said lures are successively drawn through the water, while in a lowered position, for the purpose of catching fish and are moved across a part of the deck of the boat, while in a raised position, to facilitate removal from said lures of any fish caught thereon.

Another object is to provide a trolling device which makes possible the use of a large number of trolling lines, which saves labor in the handling of the lines, which is simple and efiicient in construction and not liable to get out of order, and which is not expensive to manufacture and maintain.

Another object is to provide a multiple pole trolling device comprising a rotatively mounted tiltably adjustable pole base, an upwardly extending axially disposed mast rigid with said pole base, and a plurality of poles foldably connected with said pole base and extending upwardly therefrom in outwardly diverging relation to said mast when they are in operative positions, the mast terminating at its upper end in a fixed trolling line anchor member, said anchor member having trolling lines secured thereto, and the trolling lines passing through guide members in the outer ends of the poles and having lures secured to their lower ends.

Other objects of the invention will be appparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings FIGURE 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic view in side elevation, with parts in section and parts omitted, showing a multiple pole trolling device constructed in accordance with my invention as it may appear when it is installed on the rear end of a boat and when it is tilted into an operative position for trolling.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of said device with the mast vertical and the poles extended or swung outwardly away from the mast.

FIG. 3 is a somewhat diagrammatic view, with parts omitted, showing this trolling device in an upright or inoperative position on the boat and showing two of the poles in a folded position.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view, with parts in elevation, showing parts of a boat and a mast and two poles and the mounting means for the mast and poles.

FIG. 5 is a plan view, with parts in section, taken substantially on broken line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a detached view in elevation of a sheave and sheave bracket used on the upper or outer ends of the poles, a fragment of one pole being shown.

FIG. 7 is an elevation looking in the direction indicated by broken line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a detached view partly in section and partly in elevation illustrating one type of line attachment device which can be used on the outer end of a trolling line number of poles than does the mounting device shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary plan view of the mounting device shown in FIG. 9, looking in the direction of broken line 1010 of FIG. 9.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

This trolling device comprises a base plate 15 adapted to rest on the deck 16 of a boat and to be rigidly secured to said deck 16 by any suitable means, such as bolts 17. A hinge plate 18 has one edge thereof swingingly secured to the base plate 15 by hinge means 20. A lower mast section 21 in the form of a tubular metal pipe is disposed perpendicular to and extends through the hinge plate 18 and is rigidly secured to said hinge plate by any suitable means, such as triangularly shaped gusset plates 22 which are welded to the hinge plate 13 and metal pipe or mast section 21. An upper tubular mast section 23 of smaller diameter than the lower section 21 is telescoped into and rigidly secured to said lower section 21. The top end of the lower mast section 21 forms a stop shoulder 19, for purposes hereinafter explained. A trolling line anchor arm 24 is rigid with the upper mast section 23 and extends transversely therefrom at a slight upward incline when the mast section 23 is vertical. The mast formed by parts 21, 23 and 24 is hereinafter referred to as mast M. The hinge means 20 and anchor arm 24 are positioned on the same side of the mast M. This insures that, when the mast M is inclined, the anchor arm 24 will protrude in the direction of the incline of said mast.

A worm wheel 25' is rotatively supported by the lower mast section 21 and the hinge plate 18. Preferably roller bearings 26 are provided between the worm wheel 25 and hinge plate 18 to insure ease and smoothness of operation. Ball bearings can be used in place of the roller bearings 26 is desired. A worm 27 on the shaft 28 of a motor 3t FIG. 5, meshes with the worm wheel 25. Bearings 31 support the shaft 23 for rotation. A plate 32 is secured by screws 33 to the upper side of the worm wheel 25 and a pole mounting member 34 is welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the plate 32. Obviously plate 32 can be an integral part of the worm wheel 25.

The pole mounting member 34 is provided with a plurality of evenly spaced, radially extending, perforated lugs 35. A forked fitting 36 on the lower end of a pole 37 fits over each lug 35 and is pivotally secured thereto by a pivot member 38. This pivotally connects the lower end of each pole 37 with one of the lugs 35 in such a manner that each of the poles is swingingly movable toward and away from the mast M and all of said poles are rotatable, along with the pole mounting member 34, around the mast M.

Preferably each pole 37 is formed of a lower end portion of larger diameter and an upper end portion of smaller diameter and preferably these two portions are connected with each other about midway of the length of the pole by a fitting 40. Each fitting 40 is connected by a pivot member 41 with the outer or lower end of 'a truss member 42. The other end of the truss member 42 is conneced by a pivot 43 with a collar or sleeve 44 which is slidable on the upper end portion or section 23 of the mast M. The truss members 42 limit outward swinging movement of the poles 37 and connect all of .the poles 37 of the assembly for simultaneous swinging movement between an open or operative position, in which they are shown in FIG. 1, and a folded or inoperative position in which they are shown in FIG. 3. Also said poles 37 are connected with each other, outwardly from and inwardly from the fittings 40 by diagonal brace or tie members 49 of flexible material, such as wires or cables. These tie members 49 are diagonally arranged to provide, between the several poles, tension type truss members by which a point near the outer end of each pole is connected with a point closer to the inner or base end of each adjacent pole so that transverse strain on the outer end portion of any pole will be partly borne by the next adjacent pole.

The outer end of the anchor arm 24, see FIG. 8, has an elbowtype fitting 45 rigidly secured thereto. An eye bolt 46- is threaded into an upwardly directed part of this fitting 45 and a line attachment member 47 is rotatively supported on the eye bolt 46. The line attachment member 47 has a plurality of radially extending perforated lugs 48 to each of which a trolling line 50 may be attached. A guy line 51 is secured to an eye 52 which is formed on the uppermost end of the eyebolt 46.

The guy line 51 extends to a fixed support, such as a main mast, not shown, of the boat on which this apparatus is installed and said guy line 51 helps to stabilize and support the mast M.

therefrom and has a lure 56, FIG. 1, attached to its lower end.

The number of poles which can be used on one of my trolling devices can be varied. The device shown in FIGS. 1 to uses one pole mounting member 34 and provides for the mounting of eight poles 37 thereon. More than eight poles can be connected with a single pole mounting member by making the same of larger diameter and providing more than eight of the lugs 35 thereon, if desired. Also more than one pole mounting member can be used in the manner shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, if desired. In FIG. 9 the pole mounting member 34 and all parts below said member 34 are duplicates of those shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 inclusive and are similarly numbered. In addition, a second pole mounting member 60 is shown in FIGS. 9 and as being mounted on the mast member 21 and resting on the previously described pole mounting member 34. Pins 61 connect the two pole mounting members 60 and 34 so that said two pole mounting members are attached together for simultaneous rotation with the worm wheel 25. The pole mounting member 60 is similar to the member 34 in that it is provided with evenly spaced apart radially extending lugs 62 which are perforated and are connected by pivot pins 63 with forked fittings 64 on the lower end portions of poles 65. The poles 65 can be duplicates of the poles 37. The lugs 62 correspond in number and spacing to the lugs 35 but the pole mounting member 60 is positioned by the pins 61 so that said lugs 62 are angularly offset relative to and are midway between the lugs 35. The forked fittings 64 are inclined relative to the axes of the poles 65 so that when all of the poles 65 and 37 are upright, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the poles 65 will be outwardly offset relative to the poles 37. This makes it possible to have a greater number of poles around pole mounting devices of predetermined diameter. When the second set of poles 65 is used, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, then two sliding collars 44, one above the other are preferably used on the mast member 21, with a second set of truss braces, similar to braces 42, connecting the second set of poles 65 with the second or uppermost sliding collar.

The lower end of the mast member 21 extends downwardly through suitable registering openings 13 and 14 in the base plate and deck 16 respectively and is connected with means by which the mast M and all parts attached thereto can be tilted between the substantially vertical position shown in FIG. 3 and an inclined position, as shown in FIG. 1.

Operative devices for tilting the mast M and for holding the same in various different positions are shown in FIG. 1. These devices comprise a forked bracket 66 rigid with the lower end of the mast member 21, a nut 67 mounted in the bracket 66 by transverse pivot studs 68 which hold said nut 67 against turning but permit it to rock in bracket 66, a screw 70 threaded through the nut 67, a crank member 71 on the outer end of the screw 70 and a bracket 72 secured to a fixed part 16 of the boat and having a pivotal and swivel connection by means of a pivot member 73 and swivel fitting 74 with the adjacent end of the screw 70. Obviously turning of the screw 70 will tiltingly move the mast structure about the hinge 26 and will hold said mast structure in any position into which it is adjusted.

This multiple pole trolling device is herein shown as mounted on the deck of a boat near the rear end of said boat. It will be understood that it can be mounted in other locations on the boat, for instance, close to the side of the boat. When the device is not in use the mast M is ordinarily moved to an upright position, as shown in FIG. 3, and the poles 37 are folded upwardly and inwardly alongside of said mast M. Two of these poles 37 are shown in FIG. 3 but the other poles of the set are omitted to avoid confusion. When the trolling device is to be used in fishing the poles 37 are angularly moved away from the mast M and said mast M together with the poles 37 are tilted rearwardly into a position as shown in FIG. 1. The outward angular movement of the poles relative to the mast M is limited by engagement of the sleeve 44 with the shoulder 19 formed by the top end of the lower mast member 21. If the worm wheel 25 is driven while the mast M and poles 37 are thus tilted rearwardly the pole assembly will be rotated around the mast M and the upper ends of the poles, which carry the line guides 53, 54, 55, will be caused to travel around the line attachment device 47 on the outer end portion of the trolling line anchor arm 24, to which attachment device 47 the trolling lines 50 are anchored. The anchor arm 24 in the installation herein illustrated always extends toward the rear of the boat and the mast M is supported so that when it is tilted it is always inclined toward the rear of the boat. Under these operative conditions when each line guide sheave 55 is at the lowermost point in its travel it will be closest to the anchor member 47 and when each sheave 55 is at the highest point in its travel it will be farthest away from said anchor member 47.

The trolling lines 50 are made of suitable length so that when each line guide sheave 55 is at or near the highest point in its travel and is passing over the deck 16 of the boat the lure 56 on the line will be above and clear of the deck 16 and will be at a convenient level for the manual removal of a fish therefrom.

As the outer end of each pole 37 and the sheave 55 carried thereby move in a circular are away from their highest position, in which the sheave 55 is farthest away from the trolling line anchor member 47, toward their lowermost position, in which the sheave 55 is closest to the anchor member 47, the sheave 55 will be moving in a downward path and toward the anchor member 47 and the line 50 will be feeding downwardly over said sheave 55. Thus the lure 56 on the end of the line 50 will be lowered below the water line W and will be drawn through the water and will reach its greatest depth when the sheave 55 is closest to the anchor member 47. During the travel of a sheave 55 from its lowermost position and away from the anchor member 47 toward its uppermost position the sheave will be moving in an upwardly inclined path, the line 50 will be moving upwardly over said sheave 55 and the lure 56 will be moving upwardly so that it will be abovethe water line W and clear of the deck 16 of the boat when it passes over said deck. The trolling device can operate continuously and the lures 56 on more than half of the lines 50 can be in the water at all times Two factors are operative in vertically moving the lures 56 as they are moved in circular paths. One of these factors is due to the incline of the axis of rotation of the assembly of poles 37. Because of this the line guide sheaves are caused to travel in a circular path which lies in a plane inclined relative to the horizontal. The other factor is due to the positioning of the anchor member 47 a substantial distance off center as respects the axis of rotation of the assembly of poles so that the line guide sheaves 55 on the ends of the poles move toward and away from this anchor member 47 as they follow their circular path. The result of this is that each line is fed downwardly over its sheave 55 as the sheave moves closer to the anchor member 47 and is drawn upwardly over its sheave 55 as the sheave moves away from the anchor member.

Obviously, each one of the above described factors can be utilized, in a rotating pole assembly, independently of the other but much less vertical movement of the lures will be obtained and the lures will not be in the water during as much of their travel. For instance, if a line 50 of a length equal to the distance between the lure S6 and the top of the pole 37, shown at the left in FIG. 1, is attached directly to the top end of each pole 37, but not to the anchor member 47, and if the assembly of poles is positioned at the incline shown in FIG. 1 and rotated, the lures 56 will be raised clear of the deck 16 as they pass across it and will dip into the water as they pass the rear end of the boat. Also, if the assembly shown in FIG. 1, with the poles spread apart, is positioned with the mast M vertical and each line 50 is left attached to the anchor member 47 and is adjusted in length so that its lure 56 is clear of the deck 16 as it passes across said deck, then when the pole assembly is rotated each lure will clear the deck and will dip into the water as it passes the rear of the boat.

Thus a trolling device which utilizes only one of the factors just hereinbefore explained may be utilized in some instances where fish can be lured to the surface of the water by feeding them bait.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings clearly disclose a preferred embodiment of my invention but it will be understood that this disclosure is merely illustrative and that changes may be made within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a trolling device for use on a boat having a deck, pole mounting means supported by said deck for rotation about an axis which is inclined at a substantial angle relative to said deck; devices connected with said pole mounting means capable of rotating the same; a plurality of poles disposed about the axis of rotation of said pole mounting means, each pole having an inner end which is attached to said pole mounting means and having an outer end which is positioned at a substantial distance from said pole mounting means, said poles being rotatable with said pole mounting means and the outer end of each pole overhanging an edge of the boat deck during a portion of each cycle of rotation of the pole; and a trolling line connected with and depending from the outer end portion of each pole.

2. In a trolling device for use on a boat having a deck, pole mounting means supported by said deck for rotation about an axis which is inclined at a substantial angle relative to the plane of said deck; rotatable driving devices connected with said pole mounting means capable of rotating the same; a plurality of poles disposed about the axis of rotation of said pole mounting means, each pole having an inner end which is attached to said pole mounting means and having an outer end positioned at a substantial radial distance from said pole mounting means, said poles being rotatable with said pole mounting means and the outer end portion of each pole over hanging an edge of the boat deck during a portion of each cycle of rotation of the pole; a line guide carried by the outer end portion of each pole; a fixedly supported trolling line anchor member positioned a short distance above and adjacent to the path of movement of the outer end portions of said poles; and a trolling line for each pole each trolling line being attached to said anchor member and passing through the line guide in the outer end of the pole and depending from said line guide.

3. In a trolling device for use on a boat having a deck, pole mounting means mounted on said deck for rotation about an axis which is inclined at a substantial angle relative to said deck; devices connected with said pole mounting means capable of rotating the same; a plurality of poles disposed about the axis of said pole mounting means and having their lower ends attached to said pole mounting means, said poles being rotatable with said pole mounting means and being inclined outwardly from bottom to top relative to the projected axis of said pole mounting means and the outer end portion of each pole overhanging the edge of the boat deck during a portion of each cycle of rotation of the pole mounting means and poles; and a trolling line connected with and depending from the upper end portion of each pole, the lower end of each trolling line being above and clear of the boat deck when the outer end of its pole is over the boat deck and the lower end of each trolling line being lowered to a level a substantial distance below the plane of the boat deck in the part of each cycle of rotation of the pole mounting member and poles in which the outer end of its pole overhangs the edge of the boat deck.

4. In a trolling device, a pole mounting member supported for rotation about a generally upright axis; driving means connected with said pole mounting member capable of rotating said member; at least one pole having its lower end connected with said pole mounting member; said pole extending upwardly and outwardly in divergent relation from the projected axis of rotation of said pole mounting member; a line guide carried by the upper end portion of said pole; a fixed trolling line anchor member positioned in spaced relation above said pole mounting member and radially outward from the axis of rotation of said pole mounting member; and a trolling line attached to said anchor member and passing through the line guide in the outer end of the pole and depending from the outer end of the pole. t

5. In a multiple pole trolling device, a pole mounting member; means rotatively supporting said pole mounting member for tilting adjustment between an inoperative position in which the axis of rotation of said pole mounting member is substantially vertical and an operative position in which said axis of rotation is inclined at a substantial angle relative to the vertical; driving means connected with said pole mounting member capable of rotating said member; a plurality of poles having their lower ends connected with said pole mounting member, said poles extending upwardly and outwardly in divergent relation from the projected axis of rotation of said pole mounting member when they are in an operative position; a trolling line guide carried by the upper end portion of each of said poles; a fixed trolling line anchor member positioned in transversely olfset relation to the axis of rotation of said pole mounting member and a short distance above the path of movement of the outer ends of said poles; and a trolling line for each pole attached to said anchor member and passing through and depending from the line guide of each pole.

6. In a multiple pole trolling device for use on a boat having a deck, a normally horizontal base plate adapted to be secured to the deck of a boat; a hinge plate pivotally connected with said base plate; hinge plate tilting means connected with said hinge plate; a pole mounting member rotatively supported by said hinge plate and tiltably adjustable with said hinge plate; driving means carried by said hinge plate and having a rotative driving connection with said pole mounting member; a plurality of poles having their lower ends connected with said pole mounting member, said poles extending upwardly and outwa rdly in divergent relation from the projected axis of rotation of said pole mounting member when they are in operative position; a trolling line guide carried by the upper end portion of each of said poles, a fixed trolling line anchor member supported in transversely otfset relation to the axis of rotation of said pole mounting member and a short distance above the path of movement of the outer end portions of said poles; and a trolling line for each pole attached to said anchor member and passing through and depending from the line guide of each pole.

7. In a multiple pole trolling device for use on a boat, a mast adapted to be supported in an upwardly extending position and at a substantial incline relative to the vertical; a pole mounting member supported for rotation coaxially of said mast adjacent the lower end thereof; driving means connected with said pole mounting member capable of rotating said member; a plurality of poles having their lower ends connected with said pole mounting member and extending upwardly and outwardly in divergent relation from said mast; a line guide carried by the upper end portion of each of said poles; a fixed trolling line anchor member supported by the upper end portion of said mast in transversely spaced relation from the axis of said mast; and a trolling line for each pole attached to said anchor member and guided by and depending from the line guide on the outer end of the pole.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 in which the lower end portions of the poles are pivotally connected with said pole mounting member and in which a truss member is pivotally connected with each pole and slidably connected with the upper end portion of said mast, said truss members limiting swinging movement of said poles away from said masts and said truss members and poles being foldable alongside of and parallel with said mast.

9. A multiple pole trolling device for use on a boat having a deck comprising a normally horizontal base plate capable of being rigidly secured to the deck of the boat; a hinge plate pivotally connected with one edge of said base plate; a mast extending upwardly through said base plate and said hinge plate and rigidly secured to said hinge plate, the lower end portion of said mast extending below the deck of the boat; tilting means connected with the lower end portion of said mast operable in tilting said mast and said hinge plate; a pole mounting member rotatively supported above said hinge plate Q and tiltably adjustable with said mast and said hinge plate; driving means connected with said pole mounting member capable of rotatively driving the same; a plurality of poles having their lower end portions pivotally connected with said pole mounting member for swinging movement of said poles toward and away from said mast; means limiting outward movement of all of said poles relative to said mast, said poles being foldable alongside of said mast; an anchor arm rigid with and extending transversely from the upper end portion of said mast; a trolling line anchor member carried by the outer end portion of said anchor arm; a trolling line guide carried by the upper end portion of each of said poles; a trolling line for each pole secuured to said anchor member and guided by and extending downwardly from the line guide of the pole; and a lure on the lower end portion of each trolling line.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9 in which diagonally positioned flexible truss members connect the outer end portion of each pole with the adjacent poles on each side thereof.

11. In a multiple pole trolling device for use on a boat having a deck, a normally horizontal base plate capable of being rigidly supported on the boat deck; a hinge plate pivotally connected with one edge of said base plate; a mast extending upwardly through said base plate and said hinge plate and rigidly secured to said hinge plate; means connected with said mast operable in tilting said mast and said hinge plate; a worm wheel rotatively mounted on said mast and said hinge plate; a lower pole mounting member disposed on and secured to said worm wheel; an upper pole mounting member disposed on and secured to said lower pole mounting member; a set of angularly spaced apart poles pivotally connected with said lower pole mounting member; a second set of angularly spaced apart poles pivotally connected with said upper pole mounting member in angularly offset relation relative to the poles which are connected with said lower pole mounting member, all of said poles being foldable along side of said mast and being swingingly movable away from said mast; and driving means connected with said worm wheel operable to rotate said worm wheel and both of said pole mounting members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 952,812 Jorgensen Mar. 22, 1910 2,196,472 Moriarity Apr. 9, 1940 2,319,999 Jennings May 25, 1943 2,558,306 McIntyre June 26, 1951 

